When seeking data about the impact of shale gas development on groundwater and private well water supplies in western Pennsylvania, residents turn to John Stolz, director of the Center for Environmental Research at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and his team of graduate student researchers.

Pennsylvania has long been plagued by water contamination. Abandoned mine drainage is reported to have contaminated over 3,000 miles of streams in the Commonwealth making it the most extensive water pollution problem affecting Pennsylvania watersheds.

Shale gas drilling has complicated efforts to clean up impacted streams and aquifers. Pennsylvania needs to monitor its water resources diligently to assess how pollution from this new way of extracting gas interacts with damage caused by other industries in the past.

Read this Environmental Health Project Profile About Dr. John Stolz and his efforts to document the water impacts of shale gas development.

For more information, visit the Environmental Health Project and HealthFirstPA websites.

NewsClips:

-- TribLive Letter: Natural Gas Development Benefits PA Residents - Marcellus Shale Coalition

-- AG Shapiro: Southeast Directional Drilling Pleads Guilty To Contaminating Water Supply In Washington County, To Pay $15,000 Fine  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: A Shale Gas Well Met An Abandoned Conventional Well A Mile Away - How Did It Happen?

-- StateImpact - Reid Frazier: Greene County Community Has Questions After Fracking Incident At EQT Well

-- Public Source: Since EQT Shale Gas Well ‘Frack Out’ In Greene County Community, It’s Been Oily Showers, Mysterious Smells And Thirsty Pets

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Lawsuit Claims Diversified Energy And EQT Drilling Played Hot Potato With Oil & Gas Well Plugging Liabilities  

-- Post-Gazette - Laura Legere: As PA Faces ‘Looming Crisis’ Of New Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells, State Law Will Freeze Well Bonding Rates For A Decade 

-- Post-Gazette: IGS Acquires Dominion Energy Solutions And Budget Billing For Natural Gas Customers Skyrockets

Related Articles:

-- Gov. Wolf Announces Evaluation Of How DEP Regulates Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling & The Industry’s Compliance With Environmental Safeguards [PaEN]

-- Environmental Health Project: PA’s Natural Gas Boom - What Went Wrong? Why Does It Matter?  What Can We Do Better To Protect Public Health?  [PaEN]

-- 16 Oil & Gas Facility Spill, Soil, Water Contamination Cleanups Under Act 2 Land Recycling Program During July  [PaEN]

-- Senate Hearing: Body Of Evidence Is 'Large, Growing,’ ‘Consistent’ And 'Compelling' That Shale Gas Development Is Having A Negative Impact On Public Health; PA Must Act

-- Environmental Health News: Public Health In PA Ignored During Fracking Rush - Report

-- New Penn State Study Finds Runoff From Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Dumped On Unpaved Roads Contains Pollutants That Exceed Human-Health, Environmental Standards

-- Oil & Natural Gas Facility Health Impacts Assessment Bill Introduced In The House

-- Evangelical Environmental Network Testifies In Congress On Need To Require Real Oil & Gas Well Plugging Bonding Reform, Defend Our Children’s Health & Taxpayers By Fixing Oil & Gas Facility Methane Leaks

-- Penn State Beaver Seeking Volunteers For June 23 Focus Group On Energy Development, Groundwater Quality & Public Health In Western PA

[Posted: July 25, 2022]

8/1/2022